Aurelian Rain
by Ghilan'nain
Summary: Starting her working life in a hidden chashitsu, it was expected of her to be polite to all customers. Even those who despise her very race.


_italics - inner thoughts_

 _chashitsu - Tea Room/House_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha characters**

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The soft patter of a light rainfall glistened against her damp charcoal hair as she walked throughout a seemingly empty Tokyo plaza. _I wonder why it's so lonely out here_. She sighed heavily, releasing a soft cloud of icy breath to escape her lips. A sudden roll of thunder sent chills up her spine, followed by a loud yet calming shout to invade her ears.

"Rin!"

Her head whipped around as Kagome ran up to her with a soft smile gracing her features and a glossy yellow umbrella held high. Rin returned her smile and waited for her to catch up. "Hi, Kagome."

Kagome panted heavily before the girl, her bangs hiding her face. "I thought...I'd never...catch up!" she said in short bursts between pants. As she composed herself, Rin studied her carefully. Something, or rather _someone_ was missing.

"Where's Inuyasha?"

Kagome perked up at the mentioning of the half-demon and smiled, motioning for Rin to follow her under the protection of the umbrella. "He said he had some business with his brother, Sesshomaru."

Rin tilted her head slightly, her voice barely a whisper. "Sesshomaru?"

The woman beside her glanced off as she explained. "He's Inuyasha's half brother and they don't really get along, but.." she paused, her eyebrows furrowing. "Just know Sesshomaru is anything but kind although he has his moments I guess." Kagome turned to Rin and smiled shortly.

Suddenly the calming downpour ceased, the soft rays of moonlight shining along the glistening sidewalk. Kagome quickly bundled up her umbrella and turned to Rin. "Anyways I came after you because I heard of a job opening at a local _chashitsu_ ."

Rin raised a suspicious brow. "Define local," she muttered. _This should prove to be interesting._

Kagome waved her off and smirked. "Local as in its hidden and rarely anyone goes there and…" she paused for dramatic effect. "I know the owner," she stated, a spark igniting her triumphant gaze.

Taking in Kagome's words, she lowered her head and pressed her lips into a thin line. Perhaps working in a secluded place wasn't _so_ terrible. If all she was to do was serve tea and other refreshments then it should be easy as pie, right?

"I'll do it!" Rin exclaimed, her head held high and lips forming into a big smile.

Kagome clapped her hands together. "Great! You're first day starts tomorrow!"

"What?!"

The woman's hands fell and her gleeful smile faltered slightly. "Don't worry, Kaede already adores you just from what I've told her! Come on Rin you can do it."

Rin muttered incoherently as her run down apartment complex came into view. "Alright."

Kagome squealed in delight as Rin walked away with her shoulders slouched. "I'll be here around 8am to bring you!"

As Rin finally opened her apartment door, the anxiety strangling her heart finally ceased. Her body accepted the slight comfort of her overly squeaky bed. She wasn't at all prepared for the work ahead of her, but this Kaeda woman seemed pleasant enough. Her name even sounded nice. Rin closed her eyes tightly and frowned, allowing sleep to overcome her.

. . .

 _Where is she?_ Rin thought frantically as she looked at her Maneki-neko watch, the long paw of the cat already past the 12 and inching towards the faded golden 3. _It's almost 8:15, where is Kagome?_ Just as her foot began to tap relentlessly, quick footsteps could be heard a few feet away. Turning slightly, she could see Kagome rushing up to her.

"S-Sorry I'm late, Rin," she stuttered, a small packet of papers pressed to her chest.

Rin allowed Kagome to take the lead ahead of her as she eyed the papers. "Kagome, what are those?"

The girl beside her raised a brow. "What do you me-oh!-you mean these?" Kagome held up the papers and smiled. " _These_ are a list of your working hours starting today! It also lists a few vacation days, but you can look those over later."

She nodded slightly as the papers were thrust into her grasp. "Seems like a lot of nothing for a simple chashitsu," she mumbled softly.

"Don't be such a downer, Rin! It's very authentic."

Dark brows scrunched together suspiciously. "How so?"

"Well," Kagome began, her eyes closing and posture straightening. "It's like walking into feudal Japan. The walls are decorated in ancient scrolls and different kinds of weapons that used to belong to powerful demons!"

"Isn't Inuyasha powerful?" Rin questioned.

Kagome paused for a moment before leading Rin down a surprisingly peaceful alleyway. "He is, though he's only half demon. He told me he gave one of his father's swords to Kaede, but there's two sword racks. The first sword, Tetsusaiga hangs in one direction, but I wonder which sword crosses over it?"

Rin laughed lightly. "Maybe his brother Sesshomaru has the other one?"

Her friends face soured at the thought. "I hope not."

Suddenly Kagome pointed ahead to a small secluded stone path, inching it's way to a large garden surrounded by skyscrapers that were heavily coated in vines and small flowers up to ten feet high. Rin stared in amazement as they walked ahead, passing over a worn bridge that hovered over a small canal full of lily pads and koi fish. In the middle stood a large Japanese tea house with bright red beams and coated in darkly tinted windows. Within the sliding door stood an old woman in an aged priestess uniform. An eyepatch hugged her right eye. _I wonder what happened?_

"Ye must be Rin, child?"

Rin blinked, unaware she was standing in front of the older, and much shorter woman. "I..er..yes."

Kaede smiled softly, motioning for the two girls to enter. "I have a uniform for you just up ahead at my, _station_ if you will."

She nodded as the sweet smell of jasmine incense caressed her face lovingly. Now that Rin had a chance to look around she noticed a few people within the tea house chatting quietly save for one man who sat by an open window within a dark corner. Light streamed within the window and danced off his silver locks that were pulled up in a high lazy ponytail, his bangs brushing against his cheeks and obscuring his face as he studied the contents in his steaming cup that rested between his fingertips. A soft blush crept along Rin's cheeks as she examined the man before he abruptly looked up with a cold auric stare. She gasped slightly as two pristine magenta stripes ran over his cheekbones to a sharp point, contrasting against the indigo crescent moon imprinted on his forehead. Her palms grew clammy looking upon him until a sharp tug at her shirt caught her attention.

"Rin?"

She turned to face a worried looking Kagome who held Rin's uniform in her hands, the same outfit that Kaede wore only less tattered and smelling strongly of mint. A nervous laughed escaped her as she took the clothes. "Sorry I got...distracted," she said softly, her heavily lidded gaze peeking to the corner where the man still held his amber gaze in her direction. Kaede's voice interrupted her stare and she turned to the old woman with a soft smile.

"Ye best change in the restroom, dear. And quickly," she said in a rushed tone, ushering Rin into the bathroom and sliding the door closed behind her.

 _Quickly?_ The young woman furrowed her brows as she changed into the priestesses attire that hugged her small waist perfectly. _Kagome must have told Kaede what size I took._ Rin smiled warmly. Leave it to Kagome to take care of everything. With a sigh of relief at the snug uniform, she walked out of the confined and elegant restroom with her clothes folded neatly over her arm.

Kagome walked up to her side and nodded in approval of the flowing uniform. "You look just like a lovely priestess of the feudal era, Rin! Oh and Kaede has an order for you to give to one of the customers."

Rin smiled, her cheeks heating up. "Thank you so much for this, Kagome."

The girl laughed off her kinds words. "Don't worry about it! But I have to get going though, I have a date with Inuyasha."

With a short hug, the girls said their farewells and headed toward the entrance, leaving Rin alone to her thoughts for a mere moment. _I wonder what my first order is?_ Slight anxiety crept along her nerves at the thought of possibly being clumsy as hell. She shook her head furiously and walked over to Kaede, who held a small tray with a steaming cup of green tea perched atop it.

"Here ye go. This will be going to the young gentlemen in the corner," Kaede said sweetly, handing the tray gently to Rin.

Rin stiffened immediately. _The gentleman in the corner? Maybe it was a different person and the silver haired man left while I was changing._ Her hands began to shake uncontrollably as she made her way to the corner with her head hung low and feet shuffling along the withered floorboards. She hesitantly stopped at the small occupied table, studying the chipped golden trim of the table. A smooth clearing of the throat caused Rin's head to snap up, her gaze directed to the tea among her tray and cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

"I-I'm sorry, sir. Let me take that for you," Rin whispered softly as she replaced the empty cup with the one on her now slightly wobbling tray. She avoided the man beside her.

"You are aware it's rude to avoid your customer."

Her body tensed at the melodic but stern voice that addressed her. Turning her body slightly, she faced him yet kept her gaze on his dark tie that rested snugly over his white button up shirt. "I am not avoiding you," she said in a soft tone.

A low chuckle invaded her ears. "Then why are you staring at my tie as opposed to my face? Do you find demons so grotesque?"

With a huff, Rin angrily looked up. "What? No I-"

A loud crack of lightning interrupted her angry banter and the quick patter of rain descended on the roof above them, causing Rin to squeak in alarm.

"It's simple rain," the man said in a bored tone. "Only a child would fear such."

"We were all children once," Rin retorted, turning on her heel and heading over to Kaede who read a small book quietly. _Well that's one way to make a first impression..._

Once Rin set down the tray in front of the older woman did she look up and smile. "Thank ye child, but I think it be best that ye head home in a short while. The rain is surely going to be heavy. I shall teach ye to brew tea tomorrow."

The young girl nodded slowly and was handed a small bag of her clothes. She smiled softly as she headed toward the restroom once more, unaware that she'd been at the chashitsu for over an hour. Rin slid open the door, only to be greeted with a downpour of rain and lightning just outside a non darkly dimmed window. _At least the window is closed._ Rin began to change out of her priestess uniform that held the faint scent of green tea. She pressed the soft fabric to her face and nuzzled the sweet smelling cloth affectionately. _I wonder if_ _ **he**_ _smells like this._

A soft knock at the door caused Rin to halt her actions. "Yes?"

"It be only me, Kaede. I just wanted to inform ye of the rain outside. There's surely to be flooding in the garden outside so be careful, child."

Rin sighed heavily and exited the restroom as she zipped up her hooded leather jacket, the cotton sleeves soft against her arms. She made her way to the entrance with her uniform folded neatly in her hands which Kaede took gracefully while she stood at the door with a sincere smile. The old woman then walked farther into the establishment, leaving the young woman to stare out into the rain and slight fog that hovered over the secluded area.

"I don't even have an umbrella," Rin mumbled, a small hand covering her forehead. "Maybe if I run I can make it to my apartment."

"Unlikely."

Rin whipped around with a small gasp, her face just inches from a dark tie. "Oh, it's just you," she grumbled.

The silver haired man smirked. " _Just_ I? Then perhaps sharing an umbrella is out of the question."

The man opened his transparent umbrella before her and without a word began to walk away with a hand in the pocket of his short trench overcoat. The dark charcoals of his attire left him a blurry silhouette save for the elegant swing of his resplendent ponytail. Rin froze with wide chestnut eyes as he left until her feet began to hesitantly run after him, her tan boots splattered with mud and broken blades of grass and flower petals.

"Wait!"

The man paused and awaited for her to be by his side before he began to walk again. "I see you aren't as half-witted as I previously thought."

Rin glared at the man. "And I see you're not as stingy _as I previously thought_ ," she mocked, slightly stomping in puddles to splash his elegant trousers and shoes. _He may be a stranger, but this small victory can't hurt!_

"If you tread in another puddle I will leave you to become ill in the rain," he seethed.

 _Nevermind._ Rin said nothing at his seemingly empty threat, but took his words in and remained silent. _I should've asked Kaede for an umbrella. Now that I'm thinking, I didn't see the sword Kagome spoke of. Maybe Kaede put it somewhere else?_ Her inner thoughts piled heavily as she looked toward the sky with a small frown. The two walked along the stone path quietly and avoiding each other as the rain impeded on the soft sound of their breathing.

"Sesshomaru."

Rin raised a brow. "Huh?"

He sighed and kept his gaze forward. "If we are to be acquainted, it is only best you know my name."

"Oh, right. My name is Rin."

"Hm."

Rin folded her arms over her chest as they now stepped into the alleyway, pointing in the direction of her apartment every so often. _His name sounds awfully familiar._ A shiver ran up her spine as she fumbled with her memories of the day prior. _Inuyasha's brother! He looks so...different from him besides hair and eye color, and those markings on his face..._

"How long do you intend to examine me," Sesshomaru stated, his mouth pulling into a deep frown, _or maybe he just naturally has a frown on his face._

Rin hadn't noticed she'd been staring at his face intently and looked to the ground with rosy cheeks. "Sorry, I've just never seen markings like that on a demons face," she admitted.

"I see," Sesshomaru replied with intrigued resonance. "I'm surprised a human like you has even noticed demons considering most of us appear as lowly mortals."

Her face scrunched at his words. "Well we _humans_ now coexist with demons, so why wouldn't I notice them? Whether or not you look human, there's still something that defines you as a demon."

Rin watched his body tense ever so slightly out of the corner of her eye. _Did I say something wrong?_

Sesshomaru coolly looked over to her as they stopped in front of her apartment complex. "This is where you live is it not?"

"Uh...yes, it is," Rin confirmed softly, walking in front of Sesshomaru and turning her head to face him. "Thank you, Sesshomaru."

"Hn."

The demon turned and began to walk away slowly, leaving Rin to stare after him as he disappeared into the dull fog. Light drops of rain ran down her face as she looked away and began walking toward the faded red door of her apartment, rusted numbers labeling it as 135. Rin fumbled with her keys before opening the door and slamming it shut behind her. A heavy breath escaped her lips, her gaze straying to the small opening between her tattered maroon curtains. Small drops of rain clung to the dirt speckled window as the heavy showers began to flood the residence. Rin furrowed her brows and looked at her watch while she softly leaned against the window. _It's only 10:05am. Maybe I'll call Kagome._

Walking over to her nightstand, Rin plucked her phone from the weathered surface and quickly dialed Kagome's number into the luminous number pad with her thumb. After two long rings, a male voice answered.

"Hello?"

Her eyes squinted. _I guess it wasn't just a date._ "Inuyasha, why are you on Kagome's phone?"

A short huff was heard on the other end of the line. "She's in the can. Is something the matter or what?"

"Well, sort of. I met Sesshomaru today."

. . .

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A/N: So, I've debated writing this fic for awhile now, but now that I've written it out I adore it! Hope you enjoyed the first chapter.

-X


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